classic Michigan dry fly · late 1950s or early 1960s
North Branch Drake
Likely origin One tying blog gives the date and the Vesey connection but does not say outright that he designed it.
History
Despite the name, the North Branch Drake is a small fly, all deer hair, with an extended body, a trude wing and a grizzly hackle. It dates from the late 1950s or early 1960s and is linked to Hank Vesey of Flint, who taught fly tying at Mott Community College.
It is fished mostly as a general attractor when no hatch is on, and in the smallest sizes it can pass for a little caddis or a midge. Other, unrelated flies share the name.
Materials
| Hook | Dry, sizes 14 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Body and tail | Deer body hair, extended past the bend and flared at the tail |
| Rib | Black thread, crisscrossed |
| Wing | Deer hair, trude style |
| Hackle | Grizzly |
Sources
Know more about this fly's history, or spot a mistake? Send a correction.
No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.